Matthew Vaughn Reflects on Negative Argylle Reviews: ‘What Have I Done to Offend These People?’

Matthew Vaughn is opening up about the general reception towards 2024’s Argylle.

Speaking with Empire Magazine, Vaughn reflected on the reception to Argylle, a spy movie he directed that was released in United States theaters in February 2024. The film received negative reviews from critics and was considered to be a box office bomb, as it made approximately $96.2 million off a $200 million budget.

“It’s a fun, feel-good movie, or I thought it was a fun, feel-good movie,” Vaughn reflected. “We didn’t make Citizen Kane, but f—ing hell, then the reviews came out and I’m like, ‘Wait, what have I done to offend these people?’ They were vitriolic. I’m not saying the movie’s perfect by any means, but I didn’t think it was offensive. That took me by surprise.”

He continued, “I even went round to cinemas because I thought, ‘Maybe I’ve lost the plot now.’ It did rattle me. I’m genuinely scratching my head about that, because you can’t ignore it. It wasn’t like [just] a few bad reviews.”

Vaughn did note, however, that the film seems to have found an audience following its Apple TV+ streaming debut.

“We’re doing very well on streaming,” he commented. “People are liking it. Nothing would make me happier than making another one. I’m getting texts saying, ‘Wow, those reviews were f—ing harsh!’ The more we can get people to watch Argylle, the more chance we make another one. I’d love to make another one, we’ve got it planned.”

What is Argylle about?

“Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World franchise) is Elly Conway, the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie,” the official synopsis reads. “But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books—which center on secret agent Argylle and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate—begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Accompanied by Aiden (Oscar winner Sam Rockwell), a cat-allergic spy, Elly (carrying Alfie in her backpack) races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.”

Argylle also stars Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Argylle is now streaming on AppleTV+.